Odisha: Congress demands House panel inquiry into 'atrocities on tribals' during anti-Maoist ops

Still police torture them in the name of an anti-Maoist operation, he said.The Congress leader said locals had on March 18 held a rally protesting the police atrocities.The state government and the police are silent over the issue.

Opposition Congress on Friday demanded the formation of a House Committee to inquire the alleged atrocities on tribals during anti-Maoist operations by security forces in Odisha's Nuapada district.

The issue was raised by Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra during Zero Hour discussion in the assembly.

He expressed concerns over the miseries caused to people of Patghar village in Bheden area of Nuapada district. ''The villagers are leaving their houses after being sandwiched between the security forces and Maoists,'' Mishra said.

He alleged that the atrocities on the tribals compounded after the killing of three CRPF jawans in Nuapada district on June 21 last year.

Mishra said some villagers were taken to Kolkata by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for questioning into the jawans' killing.

''But they could not say anything as the villagers were ignorant about the incident. Still police torture them in the name of an anti-Maoist operation,'' he said.

The Congress leader said locals had on March 18 held a rally protesting the police atrocities.

''The state government and the police are silent over the issue. But, we the Odisha Assembly, cannot remain mute spectators to the torture on the people in the name of an anti-Maoist operation,'' he said, while asking the Speaker to sent a House committee to the affected village.

He suggested that since Saturday and Sunday are holidays, the House Committee could make a visit to the place.

Speaker B K Arukha said he heard the CLP leader and would soon issue a ruling on the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)